A citizen-initiated state constitutional amendment, Proposal 2 (The “Michigan Civil Rights Amendment”) was passed into law during the 2006 November election with a 58% majority vote. The proposal amended the Michigan State Constitution to ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.

Sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, and approved to appear before Alabama voters in 2014, SB4 (the “American and Alabama Laws for Alabama Courts Amendment”) would establish a state constitutional amendment prohibiting the application of foreign law in violation of rights guaranteed natural citizens by the United States and Alabama Constitutions, and the laws and public policy of the state.

Sponsored by Reps. Duggar and Cox, HB48 and HJR5 call on Missourians to vote for a constitutional amendment requiring secure and fair elections through the use of photo voter ID. HJR5 states, “A person seeking to vote in person in public elections may be required by general law to identify himself or herself and verify his or her qualifications as a citizen of the United States of America and a resident of the state of Missouri by providing election officials with a form of identification, which may include requiring valid government issued photo identification.” If approved by the legislature, the ballot measure would be scheduled for a statewide vote in November 2014.

A citizen-initiated constitutional amendment passed into law by voters on November 6, 2012, the North Dakota Farming and Ranching Amendment states: “The right of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state. No law shall be enacted which abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices.” If passed into law, the constitutional amendment would preserve modern agricultural methods and technologies and prevent harmful anti-farming restrictions pushed by special interest groups such as The Humane Society or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

A legislatively-referred ballot measure sponsored by Sens. Forrester, Tillman, Soucek, and Brunstetter; and passed into law in 2012 by 61 percent of voters; North Carolina’s Same-sex Marriage Amendment 1 states that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

A citizen-initiated constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2011, Ohio Health Care Amendment Issue 3 states that “no federal, state, or local law or rule shall compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system.” The constitutional amendment specifies that it is illegal for the federal government to use a fine or tax to compel citizens into a health care plan.